A Winter's Evening
by UnitedFandom01
Summary: A very long one-shot of a first date. Read the Author's Note at the top of the story for a bit more information. Tsubaki and Ema go out on their first day, Christmas is just around the corner and a certain romance is in the air. Will things go according to plan or will she leave him utterly heart-broken?


_**A/N: I do not claim ownership of any characters or locations mentioned in this story. Everything in this story is owned by Funimation and the fabulous mind that created this wonderful anime. If I did own Brother's Conflict, a lot of things would be different. Also, this is my first time writing for this anime so take that into consideration when you read it. Thank you all.**_

* * *

Everywhere you looked you could see signs of Christmas. The temperature had dropped tremendously in the past week but people didn't seem to let it get to them. Bundled up in sweaters, thick coats, scarves, and the warmest pants and boots they owned, people all over the city could be seen walking the streets and laughing, their cheeks and noses tinted red by the winter air. Some were still shopping for their loved ones, others were double and triple checking their lists to make sure nothing was forgotten. Children all over were staring in the toy shop windows, wondering what they would be getting this year. Every shop had their own selection of Christmas tunes playing. It was a very festive month in deed and spirits were bright all over the place. Everyone was happy and excited for the coming holiday. Everyone…except for one young girl.

Ema Asahina was your average eighteen year-old. She was average height, average weight, and went to an average high school. She had bright brown eyes and very fair skin. She was exceptionally kind to everyone and had a smile that could light up the city. She always spoke in a quiet tone and had a way of always seeing the best in everyone and helping them to see it in themselves as well. Her hair had grown out quite a lot in the past year since her father had remarried; it was now down to her waist and fell in gentle waves. The one thing in her life that was not average, however, was the fact that she had thirteen step brothers. That alone is not average…add in the fact that they all have romantic feelings for her and things are suddenly so far beyond average that she used to wonder if she was in some sort of strange dream. She had had a happy childhood and really enjoyed moving in with her brothers. They were each so different and unique that she never got bored and was always laughing.

Currently, though, she was seated on her windowsill, staring out at the cloudy winter sky with a frown on her face, her knees were tight to her chest. A letter was lying forgotten on her desk and her hands were folded in her lap. She sighed softly, watching as her breath fogged up the window panes. She was dressed in her favorite pale pink sweater with a snowflake pattern around her waist and matching sweatpants that hugged her legs nicely. Her gaze was so fixed on the view beyond her window that she didn't notice her door opening or closing. It was only when she felt a soft hand place itself upon her leg that she was brought out of her thoughts. She saw a guy with slightly tanned skin sitting there, watching her with a worried look. His hair was as unique as the rest of the brothers in the family. It was white and always looked as though he hadn't brushed it in months. His violet eyes, which were currently focused on her brown ones, always seemed to bore into her very being. He was often the carefree and prankster in the family but currently, he seemed to have taken on a very serious air.

"I see Masaomi showed you the letter…" It wasn't a question…it was a statement. His tone was soft yet seemed to ooze the sadness she felt. This letter must have affected all of them the same way.

"Hey…don't worry about it, okay? They'll be here, I promise. Mother has her ways and has never missed Christmas."

Ema just nodded and turned to look back out the window. He sighed and ran his other hand through his hair before looking back at her.

"I couldn't get you anything for Christmas."

This got her attention and she quickly turned to look at him, her eyes a bit wide.

"It's okay Tsubaki. I don't need anything this year, I promise."

"It's a shame…I wanted to get something amazing for my beautiful sister but I just couldn't find anything to suit the rare beauty you possess. It broke my heart and I've been trying to think of something but I just haven't come up with anything."

"Really Tsubaki, it's alright."

Tsubaki looked at her from where his gaze had lowered to the floor. His hands were both now folded in his lap and he truly did look broken-hearted at not being able to get her anything.

"But I want to get you something Ema…you've done so much for all of us and I feel as though it goes unnoticed."

This surprised her and she didn't know what to say. Her momentary silence gave him just the opening he needed. He looked down again and pretended to think before suddenly jumping up while exclaiming that he had an idea.

"Let's go out!" Ema looked shocked, her eyes wide and mouth slightly opened as she tried to think of something to say.

"T…Tsubaki…"

"I can't get you anything…so I'll take you out instead. It'll be my Christmas gift to you. Please Ema?"

Ema stared at him, her heart beating slightly faster. She was sure she was blushing, especially when he gave her that charming little smile of his. When she didn't say anything for several minutes he stepped closer to her and took her hand in his, his other hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair back behind her ear.

"Ema, will you go out with me?"

Her heart skipped a beat as his fingers brushed against her cheek from where he had tucked her hair behind her ear. She couldn't think of anything to say, her voice wasn't working. She was too shocked by the suddenness. She nodded slowly after a few moments, causing him to smile more.

"Great! I'll come get you at seven, alright?" She nodded again.

Tsubaki smiled and kissed her hand lightly before looking her in the eyes again. Without saying another word he turned and left her room, closing the door behind him.

' _What is wrong with me? He's my brother!'_ She mentally yelled at herself, her heart still beating rapidly.

' _I can't help it though…There's something…about him…'_ She thought with a soft sigh as she stared at her hand. Glancing at the clock she realized she only had three hours to get ready.

* * *

"Hikaru? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

A guy who was currently dressed like a woman lifted his head from his book. He gave his new little sister a warm smile as he shut the book and patted the seat beside him. He was currently in what they called the Practice room, where Tsubaki and his twin Azusa practiced or rehearsed their parts as voice actors.

"What is it doll?" He asked as she sat down beside him, her hands balling up in her lap like they always did when she was nervous. Her hair was still wet from her shower and her eyes were on the floor.

"Ema?"

After a few moments she let out a soft sigh and shifted a bit in her seat, clearly nervous about his reaction.

"Tsubaki…asked me out…tonight."

Hikaru was silent for a few minutes before he set his book to the side and turned to face her.

"What time?"

Shocked, Ema looked up at her brother. Hikaru, clearly understanding her look, chuckled and took her hands in his.

"Doll, I've been waiting for one of them to ask you out ever since you joined this family. I never thought Tsubaki would be the first though, that is a surprise. Never mind that right now, what time is he picking you up?"

"At seven." Ema replied, still surprised Hikaru wasn't upset about this or going into protective mode.

"That gives us two hours and thirty minutes. You've already taken a shower so that saves us time. Alright, I have just the outfit. I was planning on giving it to you for Christmas but I think this is a better time. Come on, let's go get you changed."

Ema nodded numbly and followed Hikaru up to her room. He left and returned after only a few minutes with a present in his hands. She began to unwrap it as he shut the door and smiled. She had no time to admire the outfit, though. As soon as she had it unwrapped and out of the box, he was ushering her to strip and get dressed. She was embarrassed about changing in front of a guy but after he told her, for the third time, that he was more like a woman than man, she finally relented and changed. Once she was dressed he sat her down in a desk chair and told her not to move. Ema stared at the open door. After about ten minutes Hikaru returned with Louis right behind him, both holding something in their hands.

"Louis is going to do your hair and I'm fixing your makeup. Don't you dare move a muscle doll." Hikaru explained as he set his case down on her bed, Louis putting his on her dresser.

A cover was placed around her to protect her new outfit from getting stained or anything then Louis took out a brush. He began to brush her hair out as he talked his visions over with Hikaru, both of whom were uncharacteristically serious. Knowing moving or talking would be useless, Ema let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes, allowing Louis' styling skill to lull her. Before long she was so relaxed that she nearly started to doze off.

"Don't fall asleep doll, you'll miss your date. We're not putting in all this effort to have you sleep through it." Hikaru said with a chuckle, bringing Ema back to her senses.

"I'm sorry…I forgot how relaxing this was."

"I shall have to do this more often then, Chi. You shouldn't be stressing out so much." Came Louis' calm and melodic chuckle as he continued working with her hair.

"Hey, Lou? You will be done in time, right?" Hikaru said as he glanced at the clock, which currently read six-forty-five.

"Of course I will. I'm just about finished now. The question is, will you be able to get her makeup finished in time?"

At this Hikaru seemed to realize something and quickly unpacked his case.

"Don't move doll." He said as he quickly got to work, causing Louis to laugh.

Ema wasn't sure why, but having both of them treat her so nicely really cheered her up. She almost forgot about the letter lying on her desk. She was actually enjoying getting a complete makeover and couldn't wait to see the finished result.

* * *

"We are good." Hikaru said as he and Louis watched Ema admire her new look in the mirror. Louis nodded, a fond smile on his face and Juli on his shoulder.

Ema was speechless. Her gift from Hikaru had been a fitted rosy-pink sweater made of a very soft cotton. The neckline exposed the tops of her shoulders and dipped down her chest in a U shape, not exposing any cleavage but a good amount of her chest. There was a Sakura blossom pattern down the front, small sequins and beads embedded at random intervals amongst the blossoms. A thin band of white lace went around the collar and flared out from the sleeves, covering her hands slightly. He had also given her a pair of dark denim jeans that were skin tight and showed off her legs nicely, a warm and thick dark blue jacket, and white faux fur boots with fluffy pink insides and fuzzy pink balls on strings that hung down the front of the boots. The boots had come with a matching scarf and gloves. He had somehow found matching ear muffs and a toboggan.

Louis had done her hair up in a very elegant way. Her hair had grown out so much that he could now do literally anything he wanted with it. What he had chosen for tonight was truly amazing. He had pulled two two-inch sections away from the rest of her hair and had left them dangling on either side of her face while he pulled the rest of her hair back. He then pulled her hair up into a tight bun but left enough of it down that the ends of her hair were just barely brushing the tops of her shoulders. He then had separated the two two-inch strands into four one-inch strands. He braded the two one-inch strands that were closer to the back and wrapped each braid around the bun and pinned them in a way that made them look as though they had been braided into the bun. After this, he curled the remaining two one-inch strands using his curling iron, resulting in very tight ringlets that framed her face nicely. He also curled the ends of her hairs below her bun.

Hikaru had used her natural beauty as a foundation for his other skill. He had used a bit of foundation but not much, as her skin was already perfectly flawless. He then added some pale pink blush and studied her before continuing. His next step was to add light pink eye-shadow and used white eye-shadow to make miniscule snowflakes within the pink eye-shadow. He also used eyeliner to somehow make the eye-shadow are really stand out. His finishing touch had been light pink bubblegum lip gloss with a bit of sparkle to it. He had also painted her nails with the same rosy color as her sweater. Once her nails had dried and he was certain they would not mess up, Hikaru had helped her put her gloves and toboggan on so that her hair didn't get messed up. He and Louis were so thoroughly enjoying watching their sister study her new look that none of them noticed when the clock struck seven exactly. They did notice, however, when her door opened to reveal Tsubaki standing there dressed in his best.

"What the hell are you two doing in here?" He asked as he saw his brothers standing in his sister's room.

"We were just helping our darling little sister get ready, that's all." Hikaru replied, motioning to Ema while grinning.

Tsubaki turned to look at her and felt his breath catch in his throat as she turned to face him. After a few moments he went rigid and turned away, shoving his hands in his pockets. This caused Louis to smile and Hikaru to laugh.

"We'll see you two when you get back. Have fun." Hikaru said as he and Louis packed up their stuff and left Ema's room, leaving the two alone.

"Well…shall we get going then?" Tsubaki asked as he continued to face the hall.

"Sure..." Ema said softly as she put her scarf and earmuffs on. She grabbed her purse and phone before locking her door and following him out. She silently wondered if he didn't like her new look then questioned why that even seemed to matter to her.

* * *

Ema looked around the restaurant that Tsubaki had taken her to. It was definitely one of the more luxurious ones. The walls were all dark cherry wood with sconces every few feet and small circular ceiling lights spaced ever four feet. This created dim lighting and with a group of five violin players playing soft music on a small stage, there was definitely a romantic feel to the place. They had been given a booth near the back where it was a bit quieter; their waitress had already taken their drink orders and brought them an appetizer of breadsticks. Tsubaki had noticed the way she shifted a bit every now and then and how she was admiring every little detail.

"Natsume uses this place for high-end business negotiations. Ukyo also uses it to talk with his more higher-up clients and Masaomi stops by occasionally for a meeting or two, himself. This is also our mother's favorite place to do business. Natsume said he'd set this up and pay for it so feel free to order anything you want."

"No kidding? Wow, I guess the family is fairly well-known here then." Ema stated softly as she looked at him, complete amazement showing in her eyes. Tsubaki couldn't help but chuckle.

"I guess so. Though the rest of us tend to favor more lower-class places, this place isn't all that bad. The food is fantastic."

Ema smiled and began to look over her menu, trying to decide what she wanted. There were so many amazing options and all of it was very pricey…but she knew Natsume would be true to his word and pay for anything they wanted. The menu items ranged from exotic cheese samplers to fancy lobster dinners, all the way up to some French and traditional Japanese meals. She honestly wasn't sure what she wanted…she would have loved to sample everything. Tsubaki smiled as he watched her bit her lip, her eyes roaming page after page of the black leather menus.

"I can order for you if you want." He offered, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

"I think that'd be best…it all looks so amazing, I don't know what I want the most."

"Leave it to me, I know just the thing." He said, placing her menu with his when she handed it to him.

"Have you two decided yet?"

The two looked up to see a young man with short dark brown hair and tanned skin. Tsubaki instantly didn't like the way the guy stared mostly at his sister.

"Yes. We'll take two Turbot Aux Beurre Blanc." He said in a matter-of-fact tone that the waiter seemed to dislike, as it meant he couldn't stare at Ema anymore. Once the order was written down and the guy left, Ema gave Tsubaki a questionable look.

"Don't worry, you'll like it." He said with a smile.

"What is it?" She asked, sipping her water.

"Translated it means Grilled Turbot with White Wine and Butter Sauce. It's very good. Turbot is a type of flat North Atlantic fish." He explained, seeing the confused look on her face.

"It does sound good." She said, a bit sheepishly. He smiled and leaned back, studying her as they waited.

Instead of talking, he let her take in the surroundings more and allowed the music from the violins to fill the air. She looked utterly stunning…his brothers had done a damn good job. He couldn't believe this was his sister…or how attracted to her he was. It was true that all of his brothers, along with himself, had fallen in love with her since she had moved in, Louis being the only exception. His feelings had only grown over the past year and it was starting to drive him crazy.

"Hey…Ema?" He said softly, causing her to look at him with those oh so vibrant brown eyes. He felt his breath catch in his throat for the second time that night.

"What is it?" She asked as she waited patiently for him to answer.

"It's…it's nothing, forget it." He said after a few moments of silence. She was about to say something else when the waiter arrived with their food.

"Here you are, I hope you enjoy."

He walked off with his tray and Ema's eyes lit up when she saw the food that Tsubaki had ordered.

"Oh wow, this looks amazing!" She exclaimed in her naturally soft tone. Tsubaki watched as she began eating and humming with pleasure at each bite. He couldn't help but smile as he began to eat as well, seeing her so happy made his heart skip a beat.

They ate in silence for a while until they were done and then sat in silence, listening to the beautiful music that filled the entire restaurant. It was only once their dishes had been cleared away and their drinks refilled that Tsubaki dared to break the silence. He had been thinking of what to say and the perfect way to say it ever since they had arrived here, actually ever since he asked her out this afternoon. However, before he could even utter a word Ema gasped, causing him to look up. Her eyes were wide and she was staring at a nearby window. Before he knew it, she was already on her feet and running over. Confused, he followed her, his hands at his sides.

"Look Tsubaki, it's snowing!" She said, turning her beautiful smile on him before she looked back out the window, her hands placed against the cold glass.

Tsubaki looked and couldn't help but smile again. It was, indeed, snowing outside and it just seemed to fit the atmosphere he was trying to create. An idea struck him and he suddenly realized exactly how to do this. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head back a bit, silently praying this would go well. As he opened his eyes he smirked, seeing something he hadn't noticed before.

"Hey Ema, look up."

"Hm?" She turned her face from the glass and looked up. Her eyes went a bit wide as she saw a strand of Mistletoe hanging from the garland that adorned the top of the window. This was on every window so she didn't know how she had missed it.

"You know the rules, right?" Tsubaki asked in a playful tone, causing her to turn to face him.

Without waiting for an answer, Tsubaki placed his hands on her cheeks lightly and tilted her face up towards his. He leaned down and kissed her gently, his eyes closing while hers went wider. This wasn't their first kiss…no. In fact it was their third, it was the most kisses she had received from one brother and she couldn't help but feel as though this one meant something more. After only a few seconds Tsubaki pulled back and gave her a smile before leading her back to the table.

"Come on, let's get out of here and go for a walk before going home."

"Sounds great."

* * *

After leaving the restaurant, Tsubaki had led them down the streets of town. He smiled as he watched her window shop and dream about all the stuff she wished she could have bought. They got some hot chocolate at a vendor and began talking about their plans for the coming year. She would be graduating in the spring and they were all planning on taking her on an expensive vacation to celebrate.

"I'd really like to visit Hong Kong…or maybe Beijing." Ema said softly as they walked, thinking of all the places she had once wanted to visit.

"We'll take you anywhere you want to go, princess." Tsubaki said with a fond smile, watching the way she blushed at that.

"Really? Anywhere?" She said, looking at him with her blush still on her cheeks.

"Really and truly. Just say the place and it's done." He replied with a smile, causing her eyes to light up even more.

They walked a while more before he saw his destination up ahead. He waited until they were almost to it before he stopped, causing her to stop as well and turn to look at him. He smiled and pointed down the narrow dirt road with Christmas lights on either side of it, lighting the snow-filled path through the trees.

"Let's go down here." He said, taking her hand in his with a smile.

"Sounds like fun." She said, smiling and trying to ignore the way her heart beat increased as he took her hand.

They walked along the trail, smiling at the different scenes and figures all built entirely using Christmas lights. It was truly amazing and it took her breath away. They followed the path until they reached one area where he suddenly stopped.

"Tsubaki?" Ema asked as she turned to look at him.

"Follow me." He whispered as he climbed over the strand of Christmas lights that marked the path they were meant to follow. Ema looked unsure but took his hand after a minute, allowing him to help her over the strand.

They walked in silence down a darkened path through the trees. With each step her heart beat seemed to increase more and more, she didn't know where they were going or what he was planning. After several minutes passed, Tsubaki stopped and turned to look at her, a smile on his lips.

"Go on…I'll be right behind you." He said softly, motioning to the bush in front of him.

Ema nodded slightly as she moved past him. She stepped through the bush and took several more steps before her breath caught in her throat and her eyes went wide. She was standing on the edge of a frozen pond, Christmas lights placed along the edge of it and a few somehow stretched across it about ten feet above them. All the lights were either pale blue or white, giving the pond a fantasy feel to it while making it seemingly glow.

"Oh…wow." Ema said, not noticing Tsubaki was now standing behind her. He chuckled softly.

"I texted Masaomi and Ukyo earlier after you agreed to go out with me. They agreed to have this ready before we got here." He said, watching her face light up even more.

"Do you know how to ice skate?" He asked suddenly, causing her to jump before facing him.

"I learned when I was little…but it's been so long. Why do you ask?"

Without saying a word, Tsubaki pulled two pairs of ice skates out of a nearby bush and smiled. She smiled at the sight and moved to sit down on a stump. Tsubaki knelt down to put her blades on her before helping her to the frozen pond. He watched as she took off, gliding across it with such ease that it looked like she had been doing it all her life. He shook his head and put his own skates on before joining her. After a while the two of them were skating together and anyone that passed by would think that they were a duo training for a competition. Their bodies fit perfectly together and somehow they seemed to read each other's movements. Their simple skate had somehow turned into a figure skating dance without them realizing it. At the end of their performance, they were in the middle of the pond and Tsubaki had his hands on her waist while hers were above her head, slowly lowering onto his shoulders as the last notes of a song only they could hear faded into the air.

Ema opened her eyes and smiled while blushing, causing him to chuckle. He made no move to release her and she made no move to try and get free. They simply stood there, staring into each other's eyes. Finally, after a few moments, Tsubaki decided to speak up.

"Ema…I wasn't entirely truthful with you earlier today. I do have you a present at home…I just…I really wanted to go out with you."

Ema felt her eyes widen but she didn't say a word. Instead, she watched his expression and waited for more.

"I told you before…last year…that I loved you. I meant it Ema…I love you and…and my feelings have only gotten stronger. I love the way you feel in my arms." At this, he wrapped his arms tight around her waist, holding her close to him.

"I love the way you say my name…the way your name fells on my lips. I love your smile, your expressive and beautiful eyes, and the way you bite your lip when you're nervous around me. I love how you care so much for all of us, how you're always ready to help out even if we don't ask you to…how you worry over the smallest things. But…most of all…" His voice had softened drastically and he now held her so tight that she could feel his heart beating through her gloved hands and his thick coat. His head lowered down and stopped just a millimeter away from hers, his eyes were half closed and when he spoke again, his breath ghosted across her slightly parted lips.

"Most of all Ema…I love how your lips feel against mine." With that he kissed her again. This time it wasn't a slow or quick one. This kiss was slow, deep, and she could feel the love he had for her through this kiss.

Her eyes slid closed as she began to kiss him back, which he had not expected. He recovered quickly from this unexpected occurrence and pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss. Her arms slid around his neck and she held on as she met his kiss again. He pulled her tighter still as his tongue rubbed against her lips gently, seeking permission to enter. She complied quickly, opening up and allowing his tongue to enter. He slid his tongue against hers, earning a soft moan from her as she tightened her arms around his neck. Their tongues soon began dancing together in a passionate waltz as they held onto each other as tight as possible; ensuring not even the thinnest piece of paper could come between them. After several heated minutes the need for air arose and they separated but did not lose contact. Tsubaki leaned his forehead against hers and they both opened their eyes while trying to catch their breaths. It took a few minutes but finally Tsubaki found his voice again.

"I want you to be mine and mine alone…I love you Ema and after that kiss, there's no way you can deny that you love me as well."

"I…" She started but felt the way her heart was beating faster and the way her lips felt after his assault on them. He was right…she couldn't deny it anymore.

"Tsubaki…you're right. I do love you…I don't know why I couldn't see I before."

Tsubaki smiled and pulled a box from his pocket. He chuckled when he saw the expression on her face and took a step back, shaking his head as he opened it to reveal a small, simple silver band with a heart-shaped diamond in the center.

"It's not what you're thinking…this is a promise ring. A bit more expensive than your average promise ring since the diamond is real. Will you accept it?"

"Yes." Ema said softly after studying the ring for a bit. Tsubaki smiled and removed the glove of her right hand before holding the ring up.

"With this ring, I promise to love you until the end of time. I promise to always be there for you in any way that you need me. Be it a shoulder to cry on, someone to snuggle at night when you can't sleep, or someone to talk to when you're having a bad day. Whatever you need, I promise to always be there to provide it. I promise I'll never leave and I will always protect you from everything, including my brothers should you need it. I promise I'll never let you down or upset you and I promise to wait until you are ready. I promise to be yours from this day forward in body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit…I am yours."

With that, he slid the ring onto her ring finger and leaned down to kiss her again. This kiss was much shorter, only lasting a few seconds. Ema pulled her glove back on and took his hand in hers, smiling more than she had all day. Once their shoes were back on and their skates were over their shoulders, Tsubaki sent a text to Masaomi and Ukyo to let them know they were done before leading Ema back to the house. The snow had once again begun to fall and Ema smiled, thinking how happy her real parents were for her and hoping her dad would be happy, too. Tsubaki smiled as his arm wrapped around her shoulders during the walk, happy that she had said yes and was now his. This was starting to become one of the best Christmas's of his life.


End file.
